Soul

At times Thierry Le Goues appears to be more of a sculptor than a photographer. His photographs of female nudes seem to depict figures more chiseled from stone than made of flesh and blood. Some images echo the streamlined, abstract human forms of sculptor Constantin Brancusi. In other shots, the stark contrast of light on the models' dark skin makes them appear like graceful, futuristic automatons. Le Goues, a fashion photographer by trade, began taking and collecting the photos for this book in order to expose the beauty of black women, whom he feels are underrepresented in the world of high-fashion modeling. Of the finished collection, he says: "Soul is an homage to my medium, which is the models who are my inspiration." To create his inimitable signature portraits, Le Goues covers his models--women such as Naomi Campbell and Iman--in greasepaint and poses them against stark, vacant backgrounds to heighten the sculptural elements of their forms. The resulting photographs are sensual, stirring, and beautiful works of art.